Our good friend and Quietus writer Swells died on Tuesday after finally losing his fight against cancer. (To extend the metaphor — it was 30 rounds of bloody boxing and the Grim Reaper just edged it on points. We think a bung from a betting syndicate was involved.)

I won't be the first or last to say this, but Steven Wells was one of my main inspirations to become a journalist. And it was a pleasure to work with him when I finally became one.

Some of the best writing he did came in the last few years of his life and concerned his illness. His last ever column for the Philadelphia Weekly was published here.

I guess because he was still writing for us even a few weeks ago, I hoped his sheer force of personality would somehow carry him through. We'll miss you Swells.

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